Forever Changed
by 2008wingedWheel
Summary: Niklas Kronwall is a young defenseman for the Detroit Red Wings. What happens when a 5-year-old girl with cancer weaves her way into his heart?
1. Chapter 001

5-year-old Alana White was sitting up straight in her hospital bed, watching her favorite hockey team, The Detroit Red Wings play against the Chicago Blackhawks. Her mom was sitting with one leg underneath her on the end of the bed and her dad was in the chair next to her. Her eyes lit up when she saw her favorite player, defenceman Niklas Kronwall, on the ice. "Momma, daddy! It's Kronner", she said, her green eyes wide. Her mom looked over her shoulder at her daughter and smiled. "Yes it is, baby". Her dad smiled and stroked Alana's face. "He's your favorite, isn't he Lannie", he asked, using her nickname. Alana nodded. "Yes, he is! I love him", she said.

Niklas Kronwall was sitting at his locker, laughing at his captain-Henrik Zetterberg's- facial expression. "Hank, that was best expression ever! Seriously, you should've been a comedian or an actor", he said, wiping the tears from his eyes. Hank glared over at his younger teammate. "Shut up, Kronner". Niklas gave his teammate a cheeky grin. "Why? It's true." He ducked the towel that was tossed at him, a smirk playing along his lips. "I hate you", Hank muttered. Niklas laughed. "It's impossible to hate me and you know it. You're just saying that". Hank rolled his eyes. "You shouldn't brag so much", he scolded. "I'm not bragging. I'm telling the truth." Hank just shook his head. "Fine, be that way. Just remember: no matter what you say, you're still a brat." Niklas grinned and ran his hand through his thick brown hair. "I can live with that". Hank rolled his eyes and walked to the weight room, shaking his head as he did so. Niklas couldn't help the smile: he loved this team. He wouldn't want to go anywhere else.


	2. Chapter 002

Alana bounced in her mom's lap and smiled widely. The day she'd been waiting to get here for so long was finally here: it was day she would get to meet her idol and favorite hockey player, Niklas Kronwall. She ran her hand over the Red Wings symbol on her jersey. It was of course a Kronner jersey, the one her parents had gotten her for Christmas last year. "I can't believe it, momma! I get to meet him", she said. Mrs. White smiled. "I know, baby. You're really excited". "Are you going to ask him for an autograph", Mr. White asked, pointing at the Kronner poster lying on the table in the suite they were in. Alana nodded, picking up the sharpie next to the poster. "I sure am". She bounced again, impatient for the moment she'd meet her idol.

Niklas was listening to his favorite band, The Beatles, when he felt a tap on his shoulder. Taking out his earphones, he looked up to see coach standing over him. "What's up, coach", he asked. "There's a family with a young girl who'd love to meet you. The girl-she's five- has leukemia". Niklas felt his heart breaking for the little girl. To have cancer at the age of five? That was a definite trial. "Of course I'll come, coach". He put his headphones in the front pocket of his bag before following coach out of the locker room. As they made their way to the suite, coach told Niklas just how big of a fan of his she was. "She's like your biggest fan. She's wanted to meet you since last year". Niklas smiled. "She chose a great person to follow", he said, a grin playing along his lips. Coach rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Don't brag", he scolded. Before Niklas could retort, the suite door appeared in front of them. "Prepare to meet your number one fan", coach said.

Alana was talking with her parents about Niklas's latest hit when the door to the suite opened. She turned in her mom's lap and her eyes lit up when she saw her idol standing the doorway. "My favorite player", she said. Niklas smiled and made his way over to the table where Alana and her parents were sitting. He introduced himself to the parents (who told him to call them Tyler and Carol and he told them to call him Nik) before he turned to Alana. "What's your name, little lady", he asked. "Alana Marie White, but you can just call me Alana. Can you sign my poster?" Niklas pulled the poster to him and flipped the sharpie in his hand. "I'd love to sign your poster, Alana." He autographed her poster before writing underneath 'Get better soon, my biggest fan'. Alana's eyes lit up again when she saw his autograph. "Thank you, Nik", she said, looking at him with her big green eyes. "No problem, sweetie". Alana smiled and swung her legs. Her legs were covered by black leggings and black snow boots and above that, a white skirt with red ruffles. Next came the Kronner jersey and finishing off the outfit was a small Red Wings cap. "I heard that you're my biggest fan, Alana". "I am your biggest fan. I love the way you play." Niklas smiled. "Why the way I play", he asked. Alana shrugged. "I don't know. I just like it. So strong and… well, brave". They talked for a long time before Alana raised her big green eyes. "Can I get a hug from you", she asked. Her parents' eyes widened, but Niklas just smiled. "Sure, Alana", he said, crouching down on the floor near her chair. The five-year-old slid off her chair and wrapped her arms around his neck. Niklas's arms went around her and he held her tightly. When she pulled away, her eyes had a light in them and she was smiling. "Thank you", she whispered. Niklas took her small hands in his. "You're welcome, Alana." "Can you visit me in the hospital?" "ALANA", Tyler scolded. Alana blushed, but Niklas waved it off. "When I can, I will. In fact", he stopped and pulled a card from his pocket, "I'm going to give your parents my number. You can call me if you want to talk to me". He handed her parents the card, which they looked at with stunned looks on their faces. "Why are you giving us this", Carol asked, raising an eyebrow. "Because your daughter is special. I want to help her in any way I can. I haven't known her for that long, but she's already weaved her way into my heart." Carol's eyes filled with tears and Tyler swallowed hard. "Thank you. That means so much to us." Niklas smiled and glanced down at Alana, who was holding on tightly to his hand. "Does she have a doctor's appointment tomorrow?" "Not until 3:30. Why", Tyler asked. Niklas knelt next to the five-year-old. "Alana, how would you like to come to practice tomorrow?" Alana looked at him, her green eyes lighting up. "I'd love to go", she said happily. Tyler and Carol grinned. "She can go. What time does it start at?" "9:30". Carol glanced down at her daughter. "We'll be there".

Niklas glanced down at his watch for the third time in the last ten minutes. He was waiting out in the hallway for Alana and her parents to show up and he couldn't stop the smile from spreading across his face. Alana was one of the cutest girls he'd ever met and the most energetic. She'd made her way into his heart, what with those green eyes and that giant happy smile. He still didn't understand-and he didn't think he ever would-why little kids like Alana got cancer. It didn't seem fair to him, but right now he was making her happy and that was what he cared about. "Kronner, why do you keep looking at your watch? Are you waiting for someone", Hank asked, pushing his elbow into his friend's side. Niklas nodded. "I met a family yesterday whose little girl has leukemia. I invited them to practice". Hank smiled. "That was nice of you, Kronner. How old is she?" "Five years old. She's a really cute kid and she's just really talkative. I'm her favorite player and she seems like my biggest fan. I've gotta say, she's weaved her way into my heart and I'm pretty sure she'll weave her way into yours". "Aww, poor kid! Damn, that's gotta be hard on her parents to see her go through that. But you surprised me, Kronner. Usually it takes you a while to become friends with people and after only… what, a day, this girl's already made her way into your heart?" Niklas smiled. "Wait until you met her! She's got big green eyes and a giant smile and even though she's only five, she loves her hockey". Hank was about to reply but got cut off by a childish voice. "NIK!" The Swedish defencemen turned to see Alana in Tyler's arms. Her smile, just like he'd just described, was big. Today, she was wearing dark blue jeans, a Red Wings t-shirt, a white sweater, black snow boots, and a knitted snow hat. "Hi, Alana", he said, taking the girl from her father's arms. "Hi, Nik!" Carol came walking in behind her husband, the poster that Niklas had signed the day before in her hands and a sharpie in her pocket. "She was so excited to get here. She was bouncing in her car seat". Niklas laughed before turning his attention to the girl in his arms, who was tracing the letters on his sweatshirt. "Alana, let's test your team knowledge. Who's that", he asked, pointing at Hank. Alana looked up. "Our captain, Henrik Zetterberg", she replied. Hank's eyes widened. "You're smart for a five-year-old". "This is my team", Alana answered. Hank smiled and glanced at the poster in Carol's hands. "Do you want me to sign your poster?" Alana nodded. "Yes, I would". Hank happily signed the young girl's poster and when he was finished, Alana was smiling. "Thank you". "You're welcome, honey". "Alana, do you want to meet the rest of the team", Niklas asked. Alana looked at him. "Yes, Nik. I want to meet the team." It was about five minutes later that Alana and her parents were following Niklas and Hank into the locker room. Alana was star-struck: this was the team she'd be watching for years to come. It was exciting for her. Her parents were excited too because this was happiness for their little girl even with what she was going through. Niklas stopped in front of his locker and Alana trotted up to his side. "This is where I get ready for my games, Alana". He felt a little hand in his and smiled. "This is where history happens", he could hear her mutter. He knelt next to her, his dark blue eyes shining. "No, Alana, on the ice is where history happens". Alana shook her head. "This is where it starts. You prepare in the locker room before all those big games", she reminded him. Niklas smiled: this girl was smart. "Yes, you're right, Alana. History does start here." Hank leaned against the wall near Niklas's locker. "She's smarter than you are, Kronner". Niklas glared at his friend. "Shush." Alana climbed on top of the stool at Niklas's locker and Hank got down on his knees to be at her level. "Kronner's your favorite player, huh?" Alana nodded. "Yes, he is. I just love the way he plays…" She went off on this rant about his style of play and Niklas couldn't help but laugh. How she knew all this stuff being only five, he had no idea. He glanced behind him to see Carol and Tyler talking to Darren Helm, the "young speedster" as Hank called him. They seemed to be okay, so he turned his attention back to Alana. Her green eyes were lit and her face was happy as she talked about her favorite player. "You've already captured my heart, Alana", he whispered.


	3. Chapter 003

Three months passed and Alana grown closer to Niklas. She reminded him so much of his cousin he'd lost to cancer five years earlier. In fact, on the arms of their jerseys, there was a sown circle with the words 'A.W: Deep in Our Hearts' in the middle. Niklas loved Alana: she was always encouraging him whenever he felt down and told him never to stop fighting, a phrase which both of them took to heart. Niklas was in his hotel room in San Jose, thinking about Alana when he heard a knock on his door. He got up to open it and shock filled his face when he saw his old teammate, Brad Stuart. "Stewie! What are you doing here", he asked. "I came to see you. I just wanted to know how you were doing, buddy". Niklas grinned and allowed Brad inside. "I've been doing great, Stewie. The team's doing good, too". Brad smiled and sat on the edge of Niklas's bed. "That's great, Nik. That's really good. Now I was watching your game against the hawks the other day and I noticed that patch on your jersey. What's that all about?" Niklas smiled and sat next to his friend. "It's a long story, Stewie, but I think it's worth listening to." He told his friend everything: about the first meeting he'd had with Alana, about her illness, about her love of hockey and how he was her favorite player, how she always said he was helping her and lastly about how encouraging she was even though she was going through hell. There was silence when he finished. "Wow, bud, that's… amazing. I feel really sorry for her and her parents: she's way too young to have something like that. But it sounds like you're helping her, even if it is just making her happy." Nik nodded. "She's a great kid. I…" He was cut off by the sound of his text ring going off. It was a text from Carol. Alana wants to face time you. Is that okay? Niklas smiled and sent her a text back. That's perfectly okay! Just let me get my laptop set up! He grabbed his laptop out of the bag and turned it on. "Was that Alana", Brad asked. "Her mom, actually. Alana wants me to face time her and she asked me if it was okay. I said it was fine." It was minutes later that Alana's face appeared on the screen. Niklas couldn't help the smile that appeared on his face when he saw his younger friend. She was in her hospital room and she looked pale and weak, but that didn't stop her eyes from lighting up when she saw him. "Nicky", she said. "Hi, baby girl", he whispered. "When are you coming home? I miss you." Niklas readjusted the laptop so that Brad could see as well. "I miss you too. I'll be home tomorrow I think." Alana smiled. "I'm glad. Who's your friend", she asked, pointing at Brad. Niklas laughed: Alana was adorable. "Brad Stuart. You remember, he was my defensive partner." His smile grew when Alana's face lit up with light she got when she talked about hockey. "Oh, yeah, I remember him. He wore number 23 I think. Hi, Brad." Brad stayed and talked with Alana for a while before he said he had to leave. "Bye, Brad. Oh, and don't hit Niklas too hard tonight. We need him." Brad laughed. "I'll try, Alana", he said before messing up Niklas's hair and leaving. Niklas and Alana talked for a little bit more before Alana grew tired. "I'll let you get some sleep, Lannie. You're getting tired, I can see it. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" "Kay. See ya later. And, Nicky? I love you". Niklas felt tears in his eyes and quickly wiped them away. "I love you too, Lannie", he whispered before hanging up.

Niklas smiled as he walked down the hallway to Alana's hospital room. He'd just gotten back three hours before and he really wanted to visit her. He spotted Carol out in the hallway. "Carol", he called. Carol looked up and smiled when she saw him. "Hi, Nicky! How was your trip", she asked, hugging him. "It was good. How is she? She seemed really happy yesterday." Carol shrugged. "She's good… or as good as she can be with her cancer. She got sick this morning, but that was just from the chemo." "Is she awake?" "She should be. Come on in". Niklas followed Carol inside and the smile again appeared on his face when he saw Alana. She always seemed to make him smile, even on his worst days. He loved this little girl more than she knew… and that was quite a bit. "Lannie, wake up. Nik's here." Alana's eyes shot open and they lit up when she saw Niklas. "Nicky", she said, pushing herself up in bed. The Swedish defenceman sat on the edge of the bed and took Alana's hands in his. "Hi, Lannie." "Win. Did you guys win last night?" Niklas smiled and rubbed her hand. "Yes, we did. Four to three in overtime." Alana made a face. "Ew. I don't like overtime." Niklas laughed. "I don't either, baby girl. But we've got to play in there sometimes." "It'd be so much less nerve-racking if we didn't have to", she said. Niklas reached into his pocket and pulled out a puck. "Here, Alana. I scored a goal last night and got the puck for you", he said, handing it to her. She smiled. "Thank you, Nicky!" Niklas smiled and gave Alana's hand a squeeze. "You're welcome, baby girl".


	4. Chapter 004

"Nicky, stop", Alana squealed as Niklas tickled her from behind. This was a few days later and Alana and her parents had decided to visit the boys at practice. Laughing, Niklas stopped and gave her a hug instead. "I'm sorry, Lannie", he said into her ear. Alana giggled. "It's okay, Nicky. I know you didn't mean it", she replied, turning her head to meet Niklas' blue eyes. Niklas smiled and kissed her cheek, causing her to giggle again. Her head cuddled into his shoulder and Niklas's arms wrapped around her, holding her close to him. "Nicky, can I see your IPod", she asked after a few minutes of quiet. Niklas picked up the girl and carried her to his locker, sitting down in the stool with her in his lap. "Are you gonna pick a U2 song, Lannie", he asked. Alana nodded. "Of course I am, Nicky. I love their songs, you know that", she said. Niklas smiled and glanced around the locker room. Carol and Tyler weren't there, but he realized they were probably out in the hallway talking. He glanced back down at Alana, who had her thumb over "Out of Control". She glanced up at Niklas, as if asking for his permission to play the song. "I like that one, Lannie. Play it". She pressed on the song and Niklas plugged it into the speakers. As the mix of drums and guitar rolled over the locker room, Alana sat on Niklas's lap, tapping her foot. As soon as Bono started singing, though, she started singing along with him. "Monday morning, eighteen years of the war. I say how long (how long), I say how long (how long?) It was one of doil, woke the world with boil, I was so sad (so sad) they were so glad", she sang. Niklas couldn't help but laugh as Alana sang and played air guitar along with the song. It was moments like this where he forgot she even had cancer. Her greens eyes were bright, her lips curved into a smile as she carefully danced to the music. Alana, Niklas thought, was a very pretty little girl. He was broken from his thoughts by a tiny squeal. He looked up to see Alana on the floor near Hank's locker. He went over to her and knelt beside her. "Lannie, are you okay", he asked, worry etched on his face. He knew how delicate she was with the cancer so he had to double-check to make sure she wasn't seriously hurt. "Yes, I'm fine. I just bumped into the stool. Nothing major", Alana replied, sounding more like a twelve-year-old than a five-year-old. Niklas helped her up and checked over her for any signs of bruises. He breathed a sigh of relief when he found none. Seconds later, he was smiling at the sight of Alana singing along to U2's 'Bad'. "If you twist and turn away, if you tear yourself in two again", she sang. Niklas smiled and picked her up, settling her firmly on his hip. "Why do you like U2, Alana", Hank asked, looking up. Alana thought for a minute. "Well, for two reasons. One, I can dance to their songs and I love the music. Two, some of their songs, such as Bad, have a powerful message behind them", she said, again sounding older than she really was. Niklas shook his head: he loved this girl. "You are very smart, Alana", he said, kissing her cheek. She giggled again and fingered the beard her friend was sporting. "I love you", she said. Niklas felt his heart warming up. He heard them all the time: from his parents, brothers, girlfriend(s), cousins and (playfully) his teammates, but this was a young girl with cancer that was in his heart telling him that. "I love you too, Lannie", he whispered.

"So she's a special girl, isn't she", Niklas younger brother, Staffan, asked as he sat down at his brother's kitchen table. Staffan had come over from Sweden to visit his older brother for a few days. He'd heard about Alana before-bits and pieces, actually-but this was the first time he'd heard the full story. "Yes she is, Staf. She's very special. I love her". Staffan smiled and twisted the beer bottle in his hand. "She sounds like she's close to your heart." Niklas smiled and sat in the chair across from his brother, twisting his own beer bottle. "Actually, Staf, she's weaved her way into my heart. Not a lot of people manage to do that, but she did and I'd known her for… a little less than a day. And with those green eyes, her cute little smile and her personality, she'll be a heart-breaker for boys one day." The two brothers sat quickly for a while before the text ring on Niklas' phone went off. He answered it and saw that it was from Carol. I know you're hanging out with your brother, but Alana really wants to see you. She made something for you. Niklas smiled and sent a text back. Are you guys in the hospital? Seconds later, a reply came. No. We're at home but Alana insists that we come to your house. Is that ok with you? Niklas glanced up at his brother, who was watching him curiously before sending a reply. That'd be great! See ya in a few! "Who was that?" "Carol, Alana's mother. Alana made something for me and she wants to see me. She's coming over here." Staffan smiled. "That's great! I finally get to meet the little girl who captured your heart." Minutes later, the doorbell rang. Niklas answered it and immediately Alana jumped into his arms. "Nicky, I made something for you", she said, happiness in her voice. Niklas kissed her cheek. "Show me inside." He let her parents in and all of them walked to the kitchen table. Staffan looked up as they came in. "So this is the young lady who's been taking over my brother's heart", she said. Niklas laughed and set Alana standing up on his chair, his one arm around her waist to steady her. "This is her, alright. Alana, meet my brother…" "Staffan. You used to play for Ottawa", Alana finished. Staffan's eyes widened. "How did you know that?" Alana smiled. "Your brother told me." Niklas introduced Carol and Tyler and the three of them started talking almost instantly. A tug on his shirt brought Niklas back to the young girl in front of him. "This is a picture I made for you, Nicky. See, it's us in the locker room", Alana said, handing Niklas the paper. Niklas glanced over the picture before kissing the side of Alana's head. "This is a great picture, sweetie. Thank you", he said. Alana reached up for him and Niklas picked her up. She wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in his shoulder. "I'm gonna miss you when you leave on your road trip", she said. "I know you will, Lannie. I'll miss you, too. But we can still call and text and face time each other." Alana pushed her head off his shoulder and met Niklas's blue eyes. "Will you score for me", she asked in the cutest way possible. "Only if you promise to be a good girl", Niklas replied. Alana shook her head. "I'm always good", she reminded him. Niklas laughed again. "I know you are. Do you want to go hang up my picture?" Alana nodded. Niklas set her on the floor and took her by the hand, leading her into his room. "Now, where should I tape it", he asked Alana as she climbed up onto his head. "Right there", she replied, pointing at the spot right above the head dresser. Niklas climbed onto the bed next to her and taped it right where she'd directed. "I think that's the perfect place for it, Lannie", he said, turning back to the girl at his side. But he realized that Alana was sprawled out next to him, fast asleep. He smiled and brushed his hand down the smooth skin of her cheek before picking her up bridal-style in his arms. Her head turned into his chest and her small hand clutched the front of his shirt. He carried her downstairs and sat back down at his spot with her in his lap. "She fell asleep, didn't she", Carol asked. Niklas nodded. Tyler sighed and walked to Niklas's side. "We should get her home so she can sleep", he said, reaching down to take his daughter. Niklas carefully slid Alana into his arms and smiled when she curled into his chest. "Daddy's girl", he said. Good-byes were exchanged and soon the only people left in the house were Niklas and Staffan. "What did you think, Staf", Niklas asked, grabbing another beer for Staffan. "She's an adorable kid. And she's so full of energy, so unexpected from someone who's got cancer. And she really loves you, I could see that. Her parents are great people and they have a lot of hope for her even with everything they've been though." Niklas smiled. "Yep, every word you said is correct. Alana is a very special girl… and I wouldn't have it any other way".


	5. Chapter 005

Niklas laughed as Alana danced around his living room to Keith Urban's "Days Go By". "You just love dancing, don't you, Lannie", he asked. Alana stopped and turned her head to look at him, her green eyes shining. "Yes, I do. I love music and dancing is part of music". The timer from the toaster went off and Niklas pushed himself off the couch and scooped the girl up into his arms. "Our grilled cheese is ready. Are you hungry?" Alana giggled. "Yes, I am hungry. Just like Hank is for goals", she replied. Niklas laughed and set the girl down on her chair before moving to get the sandwiches. "Nicky?" The Swedish defenceman turned around to look at his little friend. She was leaning on the table, her cheek resting in her hand. "Yes, Lannie?" She smiled. "I love having you as a friend", she replied. Niklas turned his head, not wanting his young friend to see his tears. Alana was so precious, so sweet, so loving. Niklas didn't even think Alana knew how much he loved her. She was way too deep in his heart for him not to love her. When she said things like this, Niklas loved her even more. He turned back towards her, wiping away the tears. "You're a great friend too, sweetie", he said. Alana smiled again, but only for a second before she turned concerned. "Why are you crying?" Niklas shook his head. "I wasn't crying". Alana frowned. "Yes, you were. I can see tear streaks on your face", she pointed out. Niklas smiled. "Just because I love you, Lannie", was his reply. Alana slid off her chair and walked over to her friend. She held her arms out and Niklas picked her up. "I love you too", she said before burying her face in his shoulder. It was then Niklas's heart melted completely. She just amazed him: she had cancer and yet she still loved and cared for others. This girl was truly a miracle. He felt her head come off his shoulder and found himself looking into her eyes. "Are you gonna take those sandwiches out", she asked, teasing Niklas like someone who was older than five. "Yes I am, princess", he said. He put her down and then got the sandwiches out of the toaster.

While they ate, they talked about the remaining games in the season and the games they'd already played. Niklas had just finished his sandwich when his text ring went off. He checked it and saw it was from his former teammate, Valtteri Filppula. 'Since we're both off tonight, do you want to face time?' Niklas chuckled and sent a text back. 'Sure! Just let me get my laptop!' "Who was that", Alana asked, looking up from her plate. "Val. You remember him, he wore number 51." Alana grinned. "Valtteri Filppula, Finn? Sure I remember him. He was one of my favorites". Niklas laughed and went to get his laptop. He turned it on and set it on the table. Alana placed their plates in the dishwasher so she was sitting back in her seat with her foot tucked under her. "Thank you, Lannie", Niklas said, dropping a kiss on top of her hat-covered head. "No problem, Nicky." It was minutes later that Niklas was greeting his old teammate. "Hi, Val! How are things down in Florida", he asked. "Pretty good, Nik! How about up there?" "Going pretty good, Val. It's hard not to see you in the locker room sometimes. I miss having you as a roommate". "Yeah, Nik, I know. But I had to go. Oh, and I saw your interview the other night. Who's Alana?" Niklas swallowed and glanced sideways at the young girl. "She's a friend of mine I met about four months ago. Her story is that she has cancer-leukemia- and she's wanted to meet me since last year. So a meeting was set up for us and her dream came true. It turns out she's my biggest fan and…" He told Val all about the young girl and there was silence when he finished. "Wow, Nik, that's pretty special. She sounds like a great kid. I wish I could meet her." Niklas smiled and gestured towards Alana. "Maybe you can, Val." Alana climbed into his lap and rested her head back against his chest. "Hi, Val", she said. Valtteri's eyes widened. "How do you know who I am?" "Nicky said your name about half a dozen times in the last two minutes. And I'm a Red Wings fan: I know all the players: former and current", she replied, again sounding older than she was. They talked for a little long before Val hung up. "What did you think of Val, Lannie", Niklas asked. Alana smiled and turned in Niklas's lap to look at her friend. "I liked him. He was funny". Niklas smiled and wrapped his arms around her. "Like me?" Alana giggled. "You're funnier than he is." Niklas suggested they watch a movie and Alana's eyes lit up. "Beauty and the Beast", she asked. "Anything for you, princess", Niklas said.

Niklas woke up from his deep sleep to the sound of crying. It sounded like Alana had another nightmare. He threw the covers off and sprinted into the room next door. "Lannie? Are you okay", he asked, sitting on the bed next to her. "I j-just had an h-horrible dream", Alana sobbed. Niklas lifted her into his lap and Alana rested her head against his chest. "What was it", he asked gently. "A hooded figure dressed in a dark robe with no face chased after me. I was alone in the dark woods calling for help but n-no one h-heard me. Then the figure snatched me away and I screamed", Alana said. A chill ran down Niklas's body. –Death. That was who that hooded figure was- he thought. He didn't say it out loud, however, for fear of making Alana even more scared. "Don't worry, Lannie. He can't get to you here". He rocked her in his arms until he felt her relax. "Stay", Alana whispered as he tucked her back in. Niklas nodded and smiled when he felt Alana grabbing onto his finger. – I'd do anything for this girl. I love her-. "Nicky?" Alana's voice pulled him from his thought. "Yeah, baby", he asked, turning back to the little figure in the bed. "When did you start playing?" "Hockey?" Alana nodded. Niklas started stroking Alana's cheek with the back of his hand. "When I was four. My dad took me to a rink he'd made in the backyard. I remember it was really cold and I wanted no part of it. It took a while for my dad to calm me down and tie my skates on. Then I loved it. The cold wind on my face, the rush that went through my body. I didn't want to get off for a very long time. Eventually I did". Alana giggled. "Did your mom make you hot chocolate when you came in?" "She sure did. She always made us hot chocolate in the winter. I remember she'd put marshmallows and whipped cream in it. It was so good." Alana smiled. "My mommy makes me hot chocolate." Niklas laughed. "All mommies make their children hot chocolate. It's part of being a mommy." He started to say more but realized Alana was asleep. She looked so peaceful: her dark eyelashes resting softly on her skin, her mouth opened in a little smile. -I hope she has no more nightmares tonight- he thought. He stood up and then bent over to press a kiss to her forehead. "Sweet dreams, my beautiful princess", he whispered.


	6. Chapter 006

It was a few weeks later that Niklas was on the plane going from Tampa Bay to Detroit. This road trip saw four wins and one loss. He couldn't wait to get back to Detroit where he could see Alana. They had talked quite a few times and before every game, she wished him luck. It made his heart warm when she wished him luck, and it had worked in four of the five games they'd played. "Kronner, what are you thinking about", Hank asked, pulling Niklas from his thoughts. "Alana", Niklas replied, making Hank smiled. "You really love her, don't you?" Niklas smiled and ran his hand through his hair. "Yes, I do. She's just a sweet, adorable little girl. It's hard not to love her… or any child for that matter." Hank chuckled. "Yeah, she is. She'll weave her way into anyone's heart if she was given the chance." It was a few hours later that Niklas and Hank were walking through the airport. Suddenly, his phone rang. He answered it. "Hello?" "Nik, where are you?" It was Carol and she sounded full of panic. "We just landed. We're walking through the airport right now. Why, what's going on?" Niklas was nervous at Carol's tone. "It's Alana. She was sitting in front of the T.V talking about you when she suddenly threw-up and got a pretty high fever. We're at the hospital right now." Panic and worry instantly shot through Niklas's body. "What hospital?" "Henry Ford Children's Hospital. Please come." "On our way. Be strong." He hung up and felt his hands starting to shake. "Nik, what's wrong", Hank asked. Niklas swallowed and tried to stop the tears that were gathering in his eyes. "It's Alana. She threw-up and has a super high fever. They're at the Henry Ford Children's Hospital. We gonna get there stat". The two hockey players shot through the airport to Hank's car. "Please Alana, be okay", was the only thing Niklas could whisper on the way to the hospital. They were there in less than ten minutes and Niklas raced up to the lobby. Carol, Tyler and a few of their family members were sitting in those plastic blue chairs. "Is Alana okay", Niklas asked. Carol looked up. "As far as we know. I think it was just from her chemo but I'm not sure." Minutes later, Dr. Howard-who was Alana's doctor-entered the room. "Carol, Tyler", he said. Their heads shot up. "She is okay. It was just from her chemo. But that was some quick thinking, getting her here." Tyler breathed a sigh of relief and Carol had tears fill her eyes. A few minutes later, Carol and Tyler were leading Niklas into Alana's room. Alana was lying down in her bed, an IV in her arm. She looked like she was sleeping. "Lannie, wake up", Carol said. The girl's eyes popped open and she pushed herself up. She looked no worse for wear from her fever, besides that fact that she was pale. "How are you feeling, sweetie", Tyler asked. "I'm tired but not sore. Did Nicky get home?" "I'm right here, Lannie." Alana's eyes widened but seconds later she was smiling. "NICKY", she said. Niklas laughed and went to her side. "Hi, baby girl. You gave me quite a scare", he said, taking her hand and rubbing it between his. Alana's eyes filled with tears. "Sorry, Nicky." Niklas frowned. "Why are you sorry and why are you crying? It's not your fault that you have those things happen to you." Alana smiled and wiped her tears away. "I needed that, Nicky", she said. Niklas kissed her hand before rubbing his thumb across the back of it. "You know I'll do anything for you, Lannie", he said.

Two days later, Niklas, with permission from her parents, took Alana for a visit in the locker room. He'd made sure the night before to put Danielle Bradbery songs on his IPod, as he learned for Carol that she was becoming Alana's new favorite singer. "You love me, Nicky", Alana asked as Niklas stopped outside the locker room door. The Swedish defenceman turned to look at her. "Of course I do, Lannie. I love you a lot… like a little sister. You're like my little sister. That's why I do the stuff I do for you." Alana was quiet for a minute or so before she glanced up at her friend. "Can I tell you something, Nicky", she asked, biting her lip. Niklas knelt in front of her. "You can tell me anything, Lannie", he reminded her. She placed both of her little hands in his. "I love you like a brother. You're like the big brother I never had. And… thank you for the things you're doing for me." She threw her arms around his neck and snuggled her head in his shoulder. Niklas felt tears in his eyes as he held her close to him. He had always known how precious Alana was, but now he decided that among all his "kid friends" she was the most precious of all. He started rubbing her back and felt her relax into him. "Nicky?" Niklas pulled away and looked into Alana's face, her green eyes filled with tears. "Nicky, if… if I leave, will you forget me", she asked. "Lannie, of course I won't forget you. How could I never forget someone like you? But what's making you say things like this?" Alana glanced down at the ground, her hands shaking. Niklas placed a hand on her cheek and made her look at him. "Lannie, please answer me." Alana took a deep breath. "There was a doctor, not Dr. Howard, who came into my room yesterday. I'm not sure why he was in my room, but I could hear him talking to my parents. He… he said 'Why are you bothering to take her here? She's not going to live much longer.' Then he laughed in a really mean way… a hurtful way. Daddy yelled at him and mommy sent him away, but it's still bothering me. I'm-I'm scared", she replied before she burst into tears. Niklas pulled her into another hug and rubbed her back gently, soothing her, but in his head he was upset. What kind of doctor would say that, especially in front of a child? That doctor was going to pay… and he'd make it happen in any way he could. Alana was calm by this time and Niklas picked her up and placed her on his hip. "Let's go see the guys, Lannie", she said. Alana smiled excitedly and Niklas could feel himself smiling as well. This girl could always make him smile, no matter what. Hank looked up at the two came in. "Hi, Kronner. Hi, Lannie." Alana smiled and waved at Hank. "Hi, Zetta", she said, using the nick name Hank had in Sweden. Niklas took her over to his locker and set her gently down on the stool. He handed her his IPod and set his bag on the floor. It felt like only seconds later that Alana pulled on his sleeve. "You put Danielle on your IPod", she said, smiling. Niklas laughed and kissed her cheek. "Of course I did, Lannie. You like her so it naturally goes on there", he said. Alana smiled and selected her favorite DB song, My Day. Niklas hesitated for a minute to play Danielle, but when Hank shouted that it didn't matter what played as long as Alana liked it, he plugged in the IPod. Almost instantly, Alana started singing. "Like a locus flower growing in the dirt, Ain't nobody ever noticed what it's worth. till the sun shines and the rain falls And in no time at all it's beautiful". The boys in the locker room smiled to see her sing along to the song. For some of them, it wasn't quite their type of music, but as long as a certain little girl that was precious to them was happy, then let the music play. Alana looked up at Niklas as she continued to sing what, for her, were very inspirational words. "This is my day, this is my day! Oh, won't let it slip away. Oh, I'm waiting for these changes to say: This is my day". Niklas smiled at the young girl as the words of this great song poured out from the speakers. "This is definatly your day, Lannie. Every day is your day", he whispered.


	7. Chapter 007

Niklas couldn't help feeling nervous and excited at the same time as he sat on the bench with six and a half seconds left in the third period. It was June 4th and his team was that close to winning the Stanly Cup. Yet he knew that in hockey- especially in this round-anything could happen. He glanced into the stands behind him and saw Alana leaning on the glass. She saw him and gave him a smile before she mouthed "I believe in you". The butterflies in Niklas's stomach lessened slightly and he smiled back. Alana was continuing to be an inspiration to him and the team because they knew whatever battle they were facing; she was facing an even bigger one. As much as Niklas wanted to win the cup for himself, he even more wanted to win it for Alana. He knew deep in his heart that the reason they were here, beyond their work and effort and sweat and blood and tears, was her. He chewed on his lip as the seconds counted down. THREE…TWO…ONE… AND THE DETROIT RED WINGS ARE THE STANLEY CUP CHAMPIONS! Tears poured down Niklas's cheeks as he threw off his helmet and gloves. He swirled around to glance at Alana, who was screaming and jumping for joy, before he smiled and jumped off the bench to join his teammates. He quickly found Hank and pulled him into a hug. "We won. We darn won the cup", Hank said. Niklas smiled. "Yes we did, Hank. We won what we fought hard for. But…" He let his voice trail off and pointed into the stands where Alana was. Hank looked in the direction his teammate was pointing and tears filled his eyes. "We won this for you, baby girl. We won this for you", he said.

Alana was a blur of unstoppable energy and joy up in the stands. She was screaming, crying, and jumping around like a bunny. "I can't believe it! Nicky won it", she said to Tyler. Tyler smiled down at his daughter. "He sure did, Lannie". Alana stopped jumping and glanced at the ice. "They all won it. I'm so proud of my boys", she said. Carol wiped a tear from her cheek and picked up Alana. "Who do you think will get the MVP", she asked. Alana smiled and bounced in her mother's arms. "You mean the Conn Smythe Trophy. Hank's gonna win it for sure. He played good all playoffs", she replied. She glanced back at the ice again and found Niklas, whom she could see was hugging Hank. She could see his face, but she knew he was happy. "I love you, Nicky", she said, blowing her friend a kiss. Carol and Tyler smiled at their daughter, knowing that her sisterly love for Niklas was growing. "He loves you too, baby".

Niklas wiped the sweat from his face as he wanted for Alana and her parents to come onto the ice. He'd seen her celebrate in the stands and saw just how happy she was. – She deserves to be happy- he thought. A sharp elbow in the side made him break from his thoughts. He turned to see Hank standing at his side. "You're thinking about Lannie, aren't you", he asked. Niklas nodded. "Yes, I was thinking about her. I saw her in the stands earlier and saw how happy she was. She deserves that… with everything she's going through. I'm hoping tonight will be a light for her." Hank smiled and shook his head. Before Niklas met Alana, it was rare that he got that deep. Now, it seemed like every other day he was saying something like that. "I agree. She deserves this night more than any of us do. She was our inspiration to get here and we won this for her. She's a special girl". Niklas was about to reply but got cut off by the sound of his name being called. He turned to see Alana standing up on the bench, her parents on either side of her. The giant smile on her face made Niklas knew that all the sweat, injuries, and tears had been worth it. He skated towards the bench and smiled when he saw her bounce. He came up to the bench and she jumped into his arms, her arms wrapping tightly around his neck. "You did it, Nicky! You won the cup!" Niklas smiled and tightened his arms around her. "Yes, Lannie, we did. All the injuries and sweat and blood were worth it". Alana pulled her head from his shoulder and Niklas could see the tears in her eyes. "I've been waiting for this for a while. I wanted you to win the cup last year and now you've got it. So proud of you". Niklas pressed a kiss to her cheek, making Alana smile. "Thanks, baby girl." "ALANA". The girl turned her head to see Hank skating towards them. "Zetta", she yelled back. Hank smiled and gently took her from Niklas's arms. "You're going to win the Conn Smythe", she informed him. Hank looked at her, surprise written across his face. "How do you know?" Alana traced the Red Wings symbol on his jersey, her green eyes lighting up. "You played so well, Zetta. You were like… one of the hardest working players out there. How could you not win", was her reply. Hank shook his head, once again wondering where this girl got her smarts. "Thank you for the complement, Lannie, but there were others that played just as well as I did." Alana smiled. "Yes, I know. All of you guys played great. I just have this feeling you're going to win." "I'm taking you up on that, Lannie."

Alana bounced in Niklas's arms, waiting impatiently for the cup to come out. Hank, as she had predicted, had won the Conn Smythe. "I told you, Zetta! I said you'd win this and you did", she had said. Hank had just laughed and kissed her cheek. "Whatever you say, Lannie." Alana bounced again and Niklas shook his head at her. "You are full of energy right now", he said. The young girl smiled. "No, I just wanna see the cup." Niklas laughed. "You're not the only one, baby. I want to see it too. It's been my life's dream to win it and I have". It was minutes later the cup was brought out. "There it is, Nicky", Alana said, pointing. "I see it, Lannie. This is what I've been dreaming about since I was a kid… and now I've achieved it". It seemed like years, but it was soon enough that Hank was skating towards the cup. "I can't believe it! I'm finally seeing Hank lift the cup", Alana said happily. Niklas smiled and shook his head, loving how happy his friend was. "YES, ZETTA, YES!" That was what Alana screamed only seconds later as Hank lifted the cup over his head. Tears ran down her cheeks but she didn't wipe them away. She was too busy getting caught up in the excitement and joy of the moment. But she was surprised to see Hank skating over to her seconds later with the cup. "I know you can't lift it, Lannie, but at least you can touch it. We won this for you, baby girl. You were and still are our inspiration and now it's your chance to touch what we fought for", Hank said. Niklas turned around so that Alana was facing the entire team. Hank stood beside them and as he raised the cup, Alana touched it with the hand. Tyler took a picture, Carol cried, and the team chanted her name. Niklas couldn't help but feel tears in his eyes when he saw Alana's happy face. "This is all for you, baby. This is all for you."


	8. Chapter 008

It had been a long summer for Niklas and Alana. Niklas had gone back home to Sweden and Alana had missed him badly. They called and Skyped each other, but Alana just wanted him back. Her summer had been hard, what with chemo and having a few scares, but she'd gotten through it quite easily. Right now, she was waiting in her parents' car at the airport for him to arrive. "He's gonna be here soon! I can't believe it", she said, bouncing excitedly in her seat. Tyler turned around in the driver's seat to face his daughter. "You really missed him, didn't you baby", he asked. Alana nodded. "Yes, I did. I missed him terribly. His family is pretty important to him, so the ache wasn't as bad". Carol could only shake her head, still amazed how much older Alana could sound sometimes. Alana rested her cheek in her hand and looked out the window at the sun-covered ground. Michigan at this time of year-well, actually, any time of year-was beautiful. Alana's second favorite season was summer (her first was winter). The blue sky, the sunshine, the warmth, just everything about summer made Alana love it. "Alana". The young girl looked up at her father, who was smiling. "Nicky's here". A squeal came from Alana's lips and her eyes lit up. "Alright, princess, we're going", Carol said. Minutes later, Alana was throwing herself into Niklas's arms. "You're here! You're really here", Alana yelled. Niklas smiled and gently tossed her into the air before catching her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in his shoulder. "I missed you, Nicky", she said. Niklas laughed and hugged her tightly. "I missed you too, princess", he said. He turned to hug Carol and gave Tyler a high-five. "We're glad you're back, Nik", Carol said. Niklas smiled. "I'm glad to be back. I missed you guys". Alana popped her head from his shoulder and looked up at him. "What's Sweden like", she asked. Niklas readjusted her onto his lip and picked up his suitcase. "It's beautiful, Lannie. It's colder than Michigan in the winter and it's nice in the summer." Alana smiled. "It sounds like Michigan". "It is like Michigan, just colder". Niklas placed Alana on the ground and knelt next to her. "I got something for you from Sweden", he said. Reaching into his suitcase, he pulled out a yellow and blue hat with the Swedish flag on the brim. Alana took it from him and stared at it for a minute or so before looking back up at Niklas. "So I'm Swedish now", she asked. Carol and Tyler laughed and Niklas put the hat on Alana. "Yeah, you are now. You're my Swedish American princess". Alana flung her arms around his neck and rested her head against his shoulder. "I love you, Nicky". Niklas wrapped his arms around her and squeezed her tightly. "I love you too, princess".

Niklas plopped into one of the straight-back chair in coach's office, the idea in his head growing. He almost cried thinking about it, but he knew that he wanted to do this for Alana. Coach came in and sat down his chair. "Okay, Nik, what is this idea that you have." Niklas sat up straight in his chair. "Well, coach, it's for Alana. I was thinking we could have something before one of our game to honor her…" He went on to explain his idea of having Danielle Bradbery come to one of their home games and sing before the game. "It would be like a ceremony for her. Since everyone in the locker room says that she was our inspiration to win the cup this year." Coach smiled. "A great idea, Nik. But how do you know Danielle will be available?" "I'll call her-I can find her number online- and ask her. And I was thinking that we could do this after our home-opener game. I know that the next game is at home". They talked for a few more minutes, which included making Alana her own jersey, before they shook hands and Niklas left. He went back into the locker room and Hank smiled when he saw him. "So, how did it go", he asked. Niklas grinned. "We're gonna do it the game after our home-opener". Hank got up, walked over to him and smacked his shoulder. "That's great, Kronner! Just make sure she doesn't find out", he said happily. Just then, the locker room door opened and Alana ran in. Niklas turned around and smiled as the young girl ran up to him. "Hi, Lannie", he said as he swung the girl up into his arms. Alana wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her chin on his shoulder. "What were you guys talking about when I came in", she asked. Niklas grinned and sent Hank a wink. "You. What else would we be talking about", he replied. "Hockey." Hank laughed and Niklas just rolled his eyes. "Alright, smarty pants", he said, making Alana giggle. "But it's true, Nicky! You do talk about hockey a lot", she said, looking at her friend. The pouty face she was making made Niklas smile. "I know, Lannie. I was just messing with you", he said. Alana smiled and placed her chin back on Niklas's shoulder, her arms wrapped around his neck. "You're the best, Nicky", she whispered. Niklas tightened his arms around her and smiled when she relaxed against him. "Thank you, princess", he said. He loved holding her in his arms, the weight of her little arms around his neck and the way she rested her head on his shoulder. Not only did it (according to her) make her feel secure, but it made him feel like her protector.

"Nicky, can you play a song for me?" Her head came off his shoulder and she looked up at him. "Sure, baby girl. What is it?" "40 by U2". He carried her over to his locker and sat down with her in his lap. "Let me see if I have it", he said, getting his IPod from his pocket. Alana smiled and leaned back against Niklas's chest, watching him look over the songs he had. "Yep, I've got it." Hank took the IPod from his friend's hand and plugged it into the speakers. "This is my favorite U2 song", Alana said. Niklas looked down at her. "Why?" "Just listen and you'll know". Niklas smiled and wrapped his arms around her, holding her close to him. The words came over the speakers like a soft melody. These were words that sent shivers up Niklas's spin, especially when Alana started singing the chorus. "I will sing, sing a new song. I will sing, sing a new song." Niklas couldn't stop the tears from spilling down his cheeks and he swallowed hard. He watched Alana as she sang those beautiful words and realized that she was smiling. "Just listen and you'll know", she had said. Well, he knew how why this song was her favorite. He started singing those words with his friend. "How long to sing this song? How long to sing this song? How long? How long? How long to sing this song?" Eventually, everyone in the locker room was singing the song. Alana was sitting up on Niklas's knee, her hands covering his knee cap, her green eyes shining as she sang along. The sight of that sweet little girl singing a moving song brought tears to almost everyone's eyes. Most of them had to stop singing as their emotions overwhelmed them. For some of the players, this sudden wave of emotion made them realize just how much Alana meant to them. They knew she was the inspiration behind winning the cup, but they didn't realize how deep in their heart she was. "Alana", Hank said when the song was over. The girl looked over at her friend, who was wiping the tears from his eyes. "Yeah, Zetta?" Hank held his arms out to her and Alana came running into them. He picked her up and held her tightly in his arms, a few tears still escaping his eyes. "Why are you crying, Zetta", she asked. Hank smiled. "Just because you mean a lot to me". Alana didn't say a word in reply; she simply tightened her arms around his neck and rested her head on his shoulder. Hank felt his sadness leaving him and slowly relaxed. "Hank?" Alana had pushed her head off his shoulder and was looking into his eyes. "Yes, Lannie?" The girl traced over the letters on his sweatshirt, smiling. "I love you". Hank smiled and bounced her in his arms. "Love you too, Lannie." Alana smiled and looked over her shoulder at Niklas, who held his arms out to her. Hank put her down and Alana ran back into Niklas's arms. Her head snuggled into his shirt as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Hi, Nicky". Niklas smiled and rubbed her back. "Hi, baby girl." He felt lips on his cheek and realized Alana was giving him a kiss. "Thank you, Lannie". Alana looked up at him, her green eyes shining. "You're welcome, Nicky", she said that a smile that warmed Niklas's heart. Just then, Alana's favorite U2 song, A Day Without Me, came on. "Yes! I love this song", she yelled, getting up from Niklas's arms. Everyone in the locker room smiled as Alana started playing air guitar along with the song. She jumped around to the beat of the song, her favorite part being the chorus. When the song was over, Niklas scooped her up into his arms. "Aright, that's enough. You're gonna tire yourself out". Alana smiled. "I love you, Nicky". "I love you too, baby girl."


	9. Chapter 009

This was the day Niklas had been looking forward to for about a month. The day he, his team, and the fans would honor Alana-the inspiration behind the Stanley Cup. He sat at his locker before the game, bouncing his leg, something he did usually when he was nervous. But this time he was more excited than anything. One of Alana's favorite singers, Danielle Bradbery, was going to play some songs at center ice. When Niklas had talked to her over the phone, he'd requested that she play "My Day" last, knowing that was not only Alana's favorite, but the fact that it was an inspirational song for her. Niklas was pulled out of his thoughts when he felt a hand on his shoulder. "Are you excited, bud", Hank asked. "Oh yeah, I'm really excited. She's a special girl and to be doing something like this… it's just an amazing experience. This is like an once-in-a-lifetime thing." Hank smiled. "Alana's going to be surprised and excited as heck. Carol will probably cry and Tyler… he'll just be taking pictures. I can't believe you've managed to keep it from her for this long". Niklas smiled and shook his head. "I know. It's been very hard for me to keep it in. I almost let it slip once, but I caught myself and started talking about something else. I don't think Alana suspects anything, although she has asked me once or twice why I stopped talking about something when she came in the room. I think she was just being typical Alana, though, because that's what she does." He sighed and ran his hands through his dark brown hair. Hank gave his friend's shoulder a squeeze before he stood up and walked back to his locker. – I cannot wait to see Alana's face when she sees this- he thought.

Niklas bit his lip nervously as he waited for the crew to hand him the mic. He was hoping everything went to plan and so far it was doing just that. The jersey made for Alana was in his hand. It was exactly like the one he wore, except it had the name 'White' on the back and 'Cancer Survivor' in the middle. He looked up into the stands and noticed the crowd watching the setup with curious faces. Some of them had cameras out and were taking pictures. Finally, he was handed the mic and he swallowed hard, trying to get rid of the nervousness in his stomach. "I bet most of you are wondering what is going on out here. You're thinking 'what's the big event?' Well, it's for Alana White." Niklas went on to explain about Alana's illness, the first meeting he'd had with Alana, their friendship, and how she was the inspiration behind winning the cup. He noticed people in the crowd getting choked up and some of them were wiping the tears from his eyes. He found himself wiping away a few tears of his own. When he turned to look near the bench, he saw Alana, Carol and Tyler standing there with nothing but pure shocks on their faces. He smiled. "When she comes out, I want all of you to take up the cheer 'Alana'. So here she is, everyone, Ms. Alana White." The crowd started to chant 'Ala-na! Ala-na'. Niklas felt his eyes burn with tears and noticed the teammates that were on the ice tapping their sticks. Carol and Tyler were crying, overwhelmed with emotion, but Alana, although she had tears in her eyes, was smiling. "NICKY", she yelled, running across the red carpet towards him. Niklas held his arms out to her and nearly cried when she jumped into them. Her head buried in his shoulder and Niklas started rubbing her back. "I have something for you, Alana", he said after a few minutes of silence. He placed her on the floor and held out the jersey to her. Alana's eyes widened as she took the jersey from him. "This is mine", she asked. "Yes, baby girl. This is your jersey." Tyler snapped a picture of Alana's facial expression and Carol wiped the tears from her eyes. "Now there's one more person I need to introduce. She has songs out such as "My Day" and "Young in America". She was first heard by music lovers on NBC's The Voice. Please help me welcome, the winner of The Voice, Danielle Bradbery." The crowd screamed louder and Alana's eyes got even bigger in shock. Carol nearly fell over and Tyler's jaw dropped. Danielle came out dressed in blue jeans and a light blue sparkly t-shirt. She took the mic from Niklas and waved at Alana. "Thank you for that wonderful introduction, Niklas. I got a call from him about a month back asking if I would do this for him. My first reaction was to say no. But I realized that this wasn't just about me doing another show. I realized that Niklas and the team were doing something special for a little girl who had made her way into their hearts. Cancer is an illness no one, especially a child, should have. But since fate can't be changed, they have to work within it. So I am here tonight to honor someone who inspired these players to win the cup and had them realize that if they didn't win, it didn't matter because there are larger things in life than winning. What do you say we get this party started?" It was about twenty minutes later that Danielle was introducing the last song for the night. "This song is one that Niklas told me inspired Alana. This is her favorite song that I sing. And she's going to help me sing it! (She was interrupted by cheers from the crowd). So come on over here, Alana." Amid the crowd's screams and cheers, Alana ran up to Danielle, who picked her up and placed her on her hip. "Do you want to introduce this song, Alana?" The girl nodded and Danielle put the mic up to her lips. "This is called My Day". Danielle smiled and the two of them started to sing.  
**_Like a locus flower growing in the dirt_**  
**_Ain't nobody ever noticed what it's worth_**  
**_till the sun shines and the rain falls_**  
**_And in no time at all it's beautiful_**  
**_This is my day, this is my day_**  
**_Oh, won't let it slip away_**  
**_Oh, I'm waiting for these changes to say_**  
**_This is my day_**  
**_There's a voice inside that's trying to be heard_**  
**_And it's echoing across the universe_**  
**_If you listen it'll lead you_**  
**_To that place you've always been running to_**  
**_This is my day, this is my day_**  
**_Oh, won't let it slip away_**  
**_Oh, I'm waiting for these changes to say_**  
**_This is my day_**  
**_I always saw it coming_**  
**_A little light behind the clouds_**  
**_This is the start of something_**  
**_My heart believes in now_**  
**_This is my day, this is my day_**  
**_Oh, won't let it slip away_**  
**_Oh, I'm waiting for these changes to say_**  
**_This is my day_**  
**_My day_**  
**_Like a locus flower growing in the dirt_**  
When the song was finished, waves upon waves of applause and cheers came down on them. Niklas didn't think he'd seen Alana wave so many times or smile as much as she was doing right now. This was her night, her moment, her chance to be in the spotlight. He glanced to his left to see Carol still with tears in her eyes and Tyler taking pictures of his little girl. A smile appeared on his face as he realized all of the time and effort on this night was worth it. For the first time, the fans had gotten to see the true reason why they had won the cup. It was for little girl in front of them, the girl who had captured their hard-hitting defenceman's heart. "How did you ever manage to get Danielle to come here", Carol asked. Niklas smiled and turned to her. "It's just one of the many benefits of being famous: you can get other famous people to do events for you", he replied. "Thank you for doing this for her." Niklas shook Tyler's hand as Alana's father also added his thanks. "I'd do anything for that girl. She's a very special kid. She deserved a night like this after all the stuff she's been through." "NICKY!" The Swedish defenceman turned as Alana threw herself into his arms. "You planned this, didn't you", she asked, looking straight at him. "Yes I did, Lannie. I did plan this. You deserve it, baby girl. You deserve every bit of it". Alana rested her chin on his shoulder for a minute or so. "You know what would make this night even better", she asked as they had their way to the bench. Niklas shook his head. "What?" "If you guys won the game tonight". Niklas laughed and placed her next to the bench. "We're going to try, Lannie. We'll try, okay?" He knelt down to be at eye-level with her. Alana threw her arms around his neck. "That's all I ask is that you try. And Nicky", she looked him directly in the eyes, "I love you". Niklas gave her small hand a squeeze and kissed her cheek. "I love you too, Lannie", he said. She smiled and then walked with her parents back to the locker room. Niklas watched them for a minute before he stood up and stretched. "She's special, ain't she", a voice at his side asked. Niklas grinned and turned to Hank. "She sure is, Hank. She's very special. Now let's go out and win this game". "You got it", Hank said with a wink before he skated off. Niklas smiled before he glanced into the stands right behind the bench. Alana was leaning on the glass with a giant smile on her face. She caught his eye and gave him a wave. Niklas waved back before he skated off as well. "For you, baby girl, anything".


	10. Epilogue

Alana stepped out of her red mustang and grabbed her guitar case, the warm summer sun hitting her face. She had just returned from Florida the day before-she was on vacation with her parents- and she wanted to visit Niklas. She looked over by the house and a smile appeared on her lips to see Niklas and his wife, Carrie, sprawled out on the lawn chairs, soaking some sun. Their two kids, 6-year-old twins Kayla and Jacob, were playing in the grass not far from them. Thanks to the sunshine, Alana was a healthy tan color, which she liked. Today, her outfit was a white knee-high dress with a black belt and white flats. Her blond hair hung in curls around her shoulders and a pink headband completed the outfit. She was sixteen now and was known among her family and friends that she was great singer. Singing was her passion, although sometimes she joined the boys at practice and messed around with them. "LANNIE!" Kayla and Jacob were the first to notice her and now the twins were running towards her. Alana put her case down just as the twins threw themselves in her arms. "Well, someone's happy to see me", she said. "We love you, Lannie". Alana chuckled and glanced towards the couple on the chairs. Carrie waved at her and Niklas winked. "I love you guys too", she said.  
"Lannie, play some songs for us", Kayla begged fifteen minutes later. They were still outside and Niklas and Alana were talking about something when Kayla interrupted them. "I can play for you, if you want. I know Taylor, Carrie, Danielle, Demi and some Miley", Alana replied, standing up and grabbing her guitar. "They are going to love you for that, Alana", Carrie said. Niklas smiled and gave Alana another wink. "She loves to sing. Even when she was five", he said, remembering the ceremony he'd had for Alana eleven years earlier. Alana laughed. "You would remember that, Nicky", she said, shaking her head. "Well, it was my idea", Niklas reminded her. Alana smiled and placed her guitar strap on her shoulders. "I know that", she said, rolling her eyes. "Lannie, can you play I'D LIE", Kayla asked, looking up at Alana with her big blue eyes. Alana ruffled the young girl's hair. "Of course I can".  
**_I don't think that passenger's seat had ever looked this good to me_**  
**_He tells me about his night and I count the colors in his eyes_**  
**_He'll never fall in love he swears as he runs his fingers through his hair_**  
**_I'm laughing cause I hope he's wrong_**  
**_And I don't think it ever crossed his mind_**  
**_He tells a joke, I fake a smile_**  
**_But I know all his favorite songs_**  
**_And I could tell you his favorite color's green_**  
**_He loves to argue, born on the seventeenth_**  
**_His sister's beautiful, he has his father's eyes_**  
**_And if you ask me if I love him, I'd lie_**  
Alana stopped for a minute to glance at Niklas and Carrie. They were smiling at each other and Alana couldn't help but roll her eyes. "Love", she muttered before moving onto the next verse.  
**_He looks around the room_**  
**_Innocently overlooks the truth_**  
**_Shouldn't a light go on?_**  
**_Doesn't he know I've had him memorized for so long?_**  
**_He sees everything in black and white_**  
**_Never let nobody see him cry_**  
**_I don't let nobody see me wishing he was mine_**  
**_I could tell you his favorite color's green_**  
**_He loves to argue, born on the seventeenth_**  
**_His sister's beautiful, he has his father's eyes_**  
**_And if you ask me if I love him, I'd lie_**  
**_He stands there then walks away_**  
**_My gosh if I could only say 'I'm holding every breath for you'_**  
**_He'd never tell you but he can play guitar_**  
**_I think he can see through everything but my heart_**  
**_First thought when I wake up is my gosh he's beautiful_**  
**_So I put on my makeup and pray for a miracle_**  
**_Yes I could tell you his favorite colors green_**  
**_He loves to argue, oh and he kills me_**  
**_His sister's beautiful, he has his father's eyes_**  
**_And if you ask me if I love him_**  
**_If you ask me if I love him, I'd lie_**  
Kayla was clapping her hands excitedly when Alana finished singing. "I love your singing", she said. Alana smiled. "Thank you, Kayla". Niklas grinned. "That's better than when you were five", he said. Alana placed her hand over her heart, pretending to be hurt while Carrie gave her husband a mock glare. "Be nice", she scolded, causing Jacob, Kayla and Alana to burst into laughter. "Your face, Nicky", Alana said. Niklas rolled his eyes. "After everything I've done for you, you have to make fun of my face", he asked teasingly. Alana smiled. "I'm sorry", she said. Niklas laughed, got up from his chair, and hugged her. "You didn't mean it. I'm messing with you". Alana kissed his cheek and Niklas sat back down. Alana played eight more songs: Taylor Swift's 'You Belong with Me', Danielle Bradbery's 'Talk About Love', Carrie Underwood's "Wasted', Demi Lovato's 'When Two Different Worlds Collide', Taylor's 'Fearless', Danielle's 'Endless Summer', Carrie's 'All-American Girl' and Demi's 'Gift of a Friend'. There was a five-minute water break before Alana got back up in front of her four friends. "There's a special song that I'm going to play. I just heard it two years ago, but I'm in love with it now. Kayla and Jacob won't know the song, as seeing it's from back in the seventies. Nicky and Carrie, you will know this one. Nicky plays it a lot in the locker room. It's called 'Blowing in the Wind' by Bob Dylan".  
**_How many roads must a man walk down before they call him a man?_**  
**_How many seas must a white dove sail before she sleeps in the sand?_**  
**_How many times must the cannonballs fly before they are forever banned?_**  
**_The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind. The answer is blowing in the wind_**  
**_How many years can a mountain exist before it is washed to the sea?_**  
**_How many years can some people exist before they're allowed to be free?_**  
**_How many times can a man turn his head, pretending he just doesn't see?_**  
**_The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind. The answer is blowing in the wind_**  
**_How many times can a blind man look up before he can see the sky?_**  
**_How many ears must one man have before he can hear people cry?_**  
**_How many deaths will it take till they know too many people have died?_**  
**_The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind. The answer is blowing in the wind_**  
"That is great, Lannie", Niklas complemented his friend when she finished. Alana grinned, giving him the thumbs up. "Thanks. It's become one of my favorite songs". Carrie winked at her before she raised her hand. "I have a request." Alana raised an eyebrow. "Yes?" "Can you play Don't Stop Believing?" Alana's green eyes lit up. "Oh my gosh, yes! I can totally play that song!"  
**_Just a small town girl, living in a lonely world_**  
**_She took the midnight train going anywhere_**  
**_Just a city boy, born and raised in SOUTH DETROIT_**  
**_He took the midnight train going anywhere_**  
**_A singer in a smoking room_**  
**_The smell of wine and cheap perfume_**  
**_For a small they can share the night_**  
**_It goes on and on and on and on_**  
**_Strangers waiting_**  
**_Looking down the boulevard_**  
**_Shadows searching in the night_**  
**_Street lights people_**  
**_Living just to find emotion_**  
**_Out in somewhere in the night_**  
**_Working hard to get my fill_**  
**_Everybody wants a thrill_**  
**_Playing anything to roll the dice just one more time_**  
**_Some will win, some will lose_**  
**_Some of them just sing the blues_**  
**_Where the movie never ends_**  
**_It goes on and on and on and on_**  
**_Strangers waiting_**  
**_Looking down the boulevard_**  
**_Shadows searching in the night_**  
**_Street lights people_**  
**_Living just to find emotion_**  
**_Out in somewhere in the night_**  
**_Don't stop believing_**  
**_Hold on to that feeling_**  
**_Street lights people_**  
**_Don't stop believing_**  
**_Hold on_**  
**_Street lights people_**  
**_Don't stop believing_**  
**_Hold on to that feeling_**  
**_Street lights people_**  
Just as Alana, her parents, Niklas and all of his teammates learned a lesson from this song, so should everyone else. Don't stop believing and don't ever give up!


End file.
